Favor Fridays with Tony™: The Favor of Becoming Someone You Once Prayed to Be— Recognizing the Strength, Wisdom, Peace and Growth God Has Already Produced in You

We spend a lot of time praying about who we want to become.

“Lord, make me stronger.”

“Give me wisdom.”

“Help me stop worrying.”

“Teach me discipline.”

“Help me forgive.”

“Give me courage.”

“Help me trust You.”

Then life keeps moving. We face trials, disappointments, delays, mistakes, victories, closed doors, hard conversations and seasons we never expected. Somewhere along the way, God begins answering those prayers—not always by instantly changing our circumstances, but by changing us.

And sometimes we are so focused on what God has not done yet that we fail to recognize what He has already done within us.

You may still have prayers waiting to be answered. You may still have dreams you have not reached and areas where you need to grow. But stop for a moment and look back. There may be things you can handle today that once would have broken you. There may be decisions you can make now that once terrified you. There may be boundaries you can set, temptations you can resist, prayers you can pray and disappointments you can survive because God has developed something inside you that was not there before.

Sometimes the answered prayer is you. Philippians 1:6 says, “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” God is still working, but that does not mean He has not already done tremendous work.

Look Back Long Enough to Recognize Your Growth

Looking back is not always about regret. Sometimes looking back is necessary for gratitude. Think about who you were five years ago. Think about how you responded to pressure, rejection, conflict or uncertainty. Think about what used to steal your peace. Think about the things you once tolerated because you were afraid to say no. Think about how desperately you once needed everyone to understand you.

Now consider who you are becoming. Maybe you pray before reacting now. Maybe you have learned that silence can sometimes be wiser than proving your point. Maybe you do not panic over every closed door. Maybe you have learned to forgive without giving everyone unlimited access to you. Maybe you can sit in uncertainty without immediately assuming God has forgotten you.

That is growth. Second Corinthians 3:18 speaks of believers being transformed “from glory to glory.” Transformation is often gradual. We may not notice it happening because we live with ourselves every day, but when we look back honestly, we can sometimes see that God has carried us farther than we realized.

Do not become so obsessed with the distance left to travel that you never thank God for the distance you have already come.

The Strength You Have Now Was Built Somewhere

Strength usually has a history. You may admire your ability to stand today without remembering all the times you had to learn how to get back up. You may appreciate your peace without remembering the nights when anxiety drove you to prayer. You may value your wisdom without remembering the mistakes that taught you what wisdom was worth.

Romans 5:3–4 tells us that tribulation produces perseverance, perseverance produces character and character produces hope. In other words, God can use difficult seasons to develop qualities inside us that comfort alone might never have produced.

That does not mean every painful thing that happened to you was good. Pain is still pain. Loss is still loss. Betrayal is still betrayal. But God is so powerful that He can take experiences you never would have chosen and use them to create strength, discernment and endurance you now carry into the future.

You prayed, “God, make me stronger.” You may not have realized strength would be built while you were carrying something heavy.

But look at you now.

Some Prayers Are Answered Through Process

We often want God to answer prayers by immediately changing what is around us. Sometimes He does. Other times, His answer is a process.

You pray for patience, and God gives you situations where patience must develop. You pray for courage, and suddenly you are facing something that requires courage. You pray for wisdom, and God starts teaching you through experience, Scripture, correction and consequence. You pray for discipline, and He begins confronting the habits that keep sabotaging your consistency.

James 1:2–4 teaches that the testing of faith produces patience and that patience must be allowed to complete its work. That means some qualities cannot simply be handed to us fully developed. They have to grow.

The process can frustrate us because we want the finished version immediately. But God is interested in developing something that lasts.

So maybe the season you thought was only testing you was also training you. Maybe the waiting was teaching you patience. Maybe the rejection was teaching you identity. Maybe the responsibility was teaching you discipline. Maybe the quiet season was teaching you how to hear God without needing constant affirmation from people.

You asked God to change you. Do not despise the process He used to answer.

Maturity Is Favor Too

We often recognize material blessings quickly. A new opportunity arrives and we call it favor. A financial breakthrough comes and we call it favor. A prayer is answered exactly how we wanted and we call it favor.

But maturity is favor too. The ability to walk away from something you once would have chased is favor. Knowing when to speak and when to remain silent is favor. Being able to admit you were wrong is favor. Setting healthy boundaries without hatred is favor. Having enough discernment to recognize what looks good but is not good for you is favor.

Proverbs 4:7 says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom.” Wisdom may not always photograph well or make an exciting announcement, but wisdom can save you years of unnecessary pain.

Sometimes the greatest evidence of God’s favor is not what is sitting in your hands. It is what has developed in your heart.

Do Not Insult Your Growth by Constantly Comparing Yourself

Comparison will make you overlook your own testimony. You can be stronger than you have ever been and still feel inadequate because somebody else appears further ahead. You can have prayers being answered in your character and miss them because you are staring at someone else’s career, marriage, finances, ministry, family, platform or success.

Galatians 6:4 says, “But let each one examine his own work.” There is wisdom in paying attention to your own walk. God is not writing everyone’s story on the same timeline. Your growth deserves to be recognized even if somebody else’s progress looks different. You do not have to diminish what God has done in you because you have not yet reached everything you are praying for.

You can be grateful and still ambitious.

You can celebrate growth and still desire more growth.

You can thank God for where you are while continuing to believe Him for where you are going.

Give God Credit for the Person You Are Becoming

There are victories we eventually start treating like personality traits.

• We say, “I’m stronger now.” But who strengthened you?

• We say, “I know better now.” But who gave you wisdom?

• We say, “I don’t worry like I used to.” But who gave you peace?

• We say, “I finally learned how to stand up for myself.” But who walked with you through the seasons that taught you courage?

  
  

James 1:17 says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.” The growth in your life is another reason to give God glory. You participated in the process. You made decisions. You prayed, learned, tried again, apologized, changed habits and kept moving. But underneath it all was grace. God kept teaching, correcting, strengthening and restoring you.

There is nothing wrong with being proud of healthy growth, but let gratitude stand beside it. Say, “God, thank You. I remember who I used to be, and I recognize what You have done in me.”

You Are Still Becoming

Recognizing growth does not mean pretending you have arrived. There are still places God is developing. There are still prayers being answered. There are still habits being refined, wounds being healed, lessons being learned and levels of faith being strengthened.

Philippians 3:13–14 reminds us to reach forward toward what is ahead and press toward the goal. Gratitude for yesterday’s growth should give us courage for tomorrow’s growth. So celebrate the person God has helped you become without becoming comfortable enough to stop becoming.

Maybe years ago you prayed for the strength you have today. Maybe you prayed for the peace you now carry. Maybe you begged God for the wisdom you now use without thinking twice.

And maybe today God is answering prayers that the future version of you will someday look back and recognize.

A Declaration of Gratitude and Growth

• I declare that I will recognize and thank God for the growth He has produced in my life.

• I will not focus so much on who I have not become that I overlook who God has already helped me become.

• I thank God for greater strength, wisdom, discipline, peace, discernment and maturity.

• I will not compare my journey to someone else’s timeline.

• I will honor the process, learn from the past and continue moving forward in faith.

• I am not who I used to be, and I am not finished becoming who God has called me to be.

  
  

A Prayer of Gratitude for Growth

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for every way You have changed me that I sometimes fail to recognize. Thank You for the prayers You answered by strengthening my character, increasing my wisdom, deepening my faith and teaching me how to trust You.

Help me recognize growth without becoming prideful and recognize areas that still need work without becoming discouraged. Thank You for carrying me through seasons that taught me lessons I now use every day.

Continue shaping me into the person You created me to be. Give me greater wisdom, deeper faith, stronger discipline and a heart that always remains teachable. When I look back, let me see Your fingerprints throughout my journey.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Bigger Picture

Sometimes we are waiting for an answered prayer while standing inside one. The strength you have today may be something you once begged God for. The peace you protect now may be something you once thought you would never find. The wisdom guiding you now may have grown from lessons you once wished you never had to learn.

So today, give God thanks for what is still coming—but also thank Him for what has already happened inside you. Look back. Recognize the growth. Honor the process. Thank God for the person you are becoming.

Because sometimes realizing that you have become someone you once prayed to be is favor.

🔥 Step Into Purpose, Courage and Light

If this message speaks to you, then you will understand the heart behind S.O.L.A.D.™: Soldiers of Light Against Darkness™—a novel series about faith, purpose, spiritual warfare, courage and people growing into the strength required for their calling.

The journey reminds us that becoming is part of the assignment.

👉 Order your autographed copies today: www.tyronetonyreedjr.com/the-shop